nestendo.comnestendo.comAreas › Altea
Marina Baixa · Costa Blanca
Altea is a good choice if you are prepared to pay for atmosphere and views: it is one of the more expensive municipalities on the Costa Blanca North, with a historic centre and hillside neighbourhoods that have little in common with the large-scale apartment complexes further along the coast.
Altea is the village on the Costa Blanca North that has styled itself as an artists' town for decades: a white historic centre on a hill, a church with blue domes, narrow streets with small galleries. That image draws a different crowd from the large-scale apartment towers of Benidorm just to the south. Those who buy here pay for atmosphere, views and proximity to the mountains of the Marina Baixa, not for the cheapest square metre. The village has a solid, long-established group of Northern European residents, with more than a third of the population born abroad, which makes it easier to settle in as a Dutch, British or Scandinavian newcomer without speaking fluent Spanish from day one.
The average asking price in Altea in March 2026 was €3,423/m², a rise of 7% year on year. There is a considerable spread between neighbourhoods: Altea Pueblo is the cheapest at €3,115/m², Altea Hills the most expensive at almost €4,000/m². As a guide: €300,000 gets you a compact apartment of around 90-100 m² in the centre, while €500,000 puts you in the hills in the range of a smaller villa or a spacious apartment with sea views. Use our calculator to include the additional costs too, and see the guide to costs when buying. On the rental market the average in the cheapest part, Altea Pueblo, was €13.1/m²/month in March 2026. Rents in the municipality of Altea rose by 9.8% year on year in March 2026 (idealista).
Altea has, partly thanks to its compact centre and mild winters, a regular population of winter residents from the Netherlands, Belgium and Scandinavia. Outside the high season (July-August) there is more on offer and rents fall noticeably. Do note the distinction: lets of up to 10 consecutive days to the same tenant count as tourist lets and require a licence (registration in the Registro de Turismo); wintering for several months falls under the tenancy law (LAU) and usually runs through a seasonal tenancy agreement (arrendamiento de temporada), with no tourist licence but with less tenant protection than a permanent tenancy. Check for every listing which type of contract it is; the rules and the protection for tenant and landlord differ substantially. More on this in our guide to lettings.
Altea is about 67-70 km from Alicante airport (ALC), 45 to 60 minutes' drive depending on traffic, and 131 km from Valencia, around 1 h 29 min by car. Line 9 of the TRAM d'Alacant (Benidorm–Dénia) has stops in Altea at Altea, Garganes, Cap Negret and l'Olla; for Alicante you change in Benidorm to line L1. That is an alternative for anyone who does not want to take the car every day, though a car remains all but essential for shopping and for most residential locations outside the centre. For hospital care you go to Villajoyosa (Hospital Marina Baixa) or the private clinics in Benidorm; supermarkets and international schools are well represented in the Benidorm-Altea-Alfaz del Pi area.
Altea is not a cheap fallback: prices are above the Costa Blanca North average and have risen by 7% over the past year. In high season the centre is busy with day-trippers and tourists, which makes its cosy character all the more appealing for some and too much for others. As everywhere on the Costa Blanca, a thorough check of the nota simple before purchase is essential, especially for villas in the hillside neighbourhoods where illegal extensions or missing licences are more common than in new-build complexes. Also read our guide to common pitfalls and follow the standard buying process step by step, including an independent lawyer who is unconnected to the selling agent.
Yes, relatively so. Altea Hills, at almost €4,000/m², is the most expensive neighbourhood in the municipality; even the cheapest part, Altea Pueblo, is around €3,100/m². That is above the average of many neighbouring municipalities further along the coast.
Lets of up to 10 consecutive days to the same tenant count as tourist lets and must be registered in the Registro de Turismo of the Comunitat Valenciana. Wintering for several months usually runs through a seasonal tenancy agreement (arrendamiento de temporada) under the tenancy law (LAU), with no tourist licence but with less tenant protection than a permanent tenancy.
If you want to be within walking distance of café terraces and a lively community, choose the Casco Antiguo. If peace and views matter most, look at Altea Hills or Sierra de Altea. See the overview below.
Altea has attracted many Northern Europeans for decades, including Dutch, Belgians and Scandinavians, partly thanks to the village's reputation as an artists' town. We have not found an exact breakdown of the municipality by nationality; what is known is that more than a third of residents were born abroad.
Save your search. You only hear from us when a property comes up that fits, with title, charges and permits checked beforehand. Prefer to rent? See properties to rent.
Updated on 11 September 2026. Figures are indicative; always check the latest figures.